Hacker Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Tax Firm Cyber Attacks

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Nigerian National Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Hacking Tax Firms

A Nigerian national has been sentenced to eight years in prison for orchestrating a large-scale hacking operation targeting tax preparation firms in Massachusetts. The scheme, which spanned five years, involved the theft of sensitive client information and the filing of over 1,000 fraudulent tax returns seeking more than $8 million in refunds.

The Hacking Operation

According to court documents, the perpetrator, 37-year-old Matthew Abiodun Akande, gained access to the targeted firms’ computer networks by purchasing licenses for the Warzone remote-access trojan malware and utilizing encryption software to evade detection by antivirus solutions.

Phishing Emails and Malware Installation

He then sent phishing emails to four tax preparation firms, impersonating the CEO of a Massachusetts architectural engineering company and attaching legitimate tax documents to add credibility. The emails directed recipients to a Dropbox link that, when clicked, silently installed the malware on their systems.

Theft of Sensitive Information and Filing of Fraudulent Tax Returns

Once inside the firms’ networks, Akande used the Warzone RAT malware to steal clients’ Social Security numbers and prior-year tax data, which he then used to file fraudulent tax returns. The refunds were directed to bank accounts controlled by co-conspirators in the United States, who withdrew the funds in cash and transferred a portion to associates in Mexico.

Arrest and Sentencing

Akande’s operation was ultimately disrupted when he was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport in October 2024 and extradited to the United States in March 2025. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022, while still living in Mexico.

In addition to his prison sentence, Akande was ordered to pay nearly $1.4 million in restitution and serve three years of supervised release.

According to court documents…

The Ongoing Threat of Phishing and Remote-Access Trojans

The case highlights the ongoing threat posed by phishing and remote-access trojans, as well as the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive client information.

The FBI’s seizure of the Warzone malware infrastructure in February 2024 marked a significant blow to the threat actor’s operations, but the case serves as a reminder that cybercrime groups continue to evolve and adapt in response to law enforcement efforts.